What Do you Mix to from Stage

musicman7722 · #1 12-14-2012, 05:58 AM

Meaning how do you monitor the FOH sound if you are mixing from stage? Up until now I hve used a control room out feed to a dedicated wedge that i try to listen to as a monitor. I just bought a Mackie DL1608 board and it has very limited optput options. Often times this gets clouded due to stage volume. Curious how others do this.

MNAirHead · #2 12-14-2012, 06:09 AM

Mains to iem

How do you like the mackie

Misty Mountain · #3 12-14-2012, 07:30 AM

Headphones with the FOH in them to get the basic mix balance right during sound check (everything runs through the FOH), then walk out front with my new early Christmas present (G50) to check the EQ settings and make sure that nothing from the stage is screwing up the overall sound.

morgansterne · #4 12-14-2012, 07:53 AM

freaking love my g50 purchased from TB user e-mac.
Thanks so much for mentioning the idea of using a mains feed as an IEM input! Our board only has two auxes so IEM's for just myself seemed impossible. But I bet I'd like just hearing the mains mix and it hadn't occurred to me to use it that way.

WalterBush · #5 12-14-2012, 07:59 AM

I walk out front with my wireless during soundcheck, and try to avoid any drastic changes after we've started. I'll spot check a song here or there during the night. I just pretend like I'm getting out on the dance floor to dance and give it a quick listen. Great way to connect with the crowd.

Fortunately, these gigs are getting increasingly rare for us. Running sound from the stage blows.

Medford Bassman · #6 12-14-2012, 09:10 AM

I use a wireless and walk out during sound check and throughout the night. Mixing from the stage can be tricky. you really have to take the time to set the levels to a point where it is set it and forget it.

MrDOS · #7 12-14-2012, 09:28 AM

I don't send any main feed to the stage -- there's enough volume up there already. As others have stated, I use a wireless and walk out to "schmooze" the crowd (but I'm really critiquing the mix while I'm out there).

walterw · #8 12-14-2012, 01:47 PM

unless you're a zero stage volume band, you can't fake it with headphones; you have to go out there and hear what the PA and the amps and the drums are all doing.

+5 to slipping out front with the ol' G50 to check.

PopaWoody · #9 12-14-2012, 02:31 PM

Wireless...uhh only little ole G30...but I like that I can replace the cord with any old 1/4" jumper. I do about a 3 minute level check once we are setup. Then adjust whatever we need during the first song, occasionally dropping out to make an adjustment. Those are getting fewer and fewer as our mixer is pretty much set and forget. Usually the settings/levels from the last gig are fine. Monitors get tweaked far more than FOH depending on room. Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro with 6 Aux Sends. used for $250 best deal of 2011 for me.

seamonkey · #10 12-14-2012, 03:58 PM

You're set with the Mackie DL1608
Just walk your ipad out in the audience and adjust from there.

PopaWoody · #11 12-14-2012, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamonkey

You're set with the Mackie DL1608
Just walk your ipad out in the audience and adjust from there.

I had to investigate this mixer...Wow.. I would kill to have that in my rack. Definitely going to be on my gear to acquire list next year. Replacing my aging 1604VLZ with this, seems so logical.

seanm · #12 12-14-2012, 04:52 PM

Another "walk out with the wireless".

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamonkey

You're set with the Mackie DL1608
Just walk your ipad out in the audience and adjust from there.

Nice! How do you play and carry the iPAD? Some sort of holster?

tbirdsp · #13 12-14-2012, 09:03 PM

Yeah, first gig coming up with me running sound from stage - I borrowed a wireless.

lowfreq33 · #14 12-14-2012, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanm

Another "walk out with the wireless".

Nice! How do you play and carry the iPAD? Some sort of holster?

They make mic stand mounts.

tbirdsp · #15 12-14-2012, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

They make mic stand mounts.

yeah but he said he tweaks the sound from the audience

Misty Mountain · #16 12-14-2012, 10:23 PM

The G50 is really great, I bought it because of all the positive reviews on TB. I thought the metal housings were a smart move for me. I had a blast walking around the room throughout the night. And not tripping. We were in about the worst room I've ever been in - 25' ceilings, everything concrete - walls, floors, ceiling - except for the huge windows and corrugated metal used as a wainscot. As the occupancy ebbed and flowed, the sound changed radically. Oh, we were set up in a corner, too. One wall of solid concrete, one with a 6'x6' window and the aforementioned wall cladding. So it was a challenging FOH night, but the band played well, so I'm happy. But I get away with headphones because it allows me to get a nice mix, but I use open back models so I still hear the stage volume. Our drummer actually understands dynamics, and our guitarist uses a 7 watt tube amp, so the FOH carries a majority of our sound which I find to be the easiest thing to do. But I may be a slight control freak, so..

musicman7722 · #17 12-15-2012, 05:41 AM

As an update I have been using a presonus 16.0.2 board for about a year. To get my ipad to work with that I had to bring my laptop and then use the laptop to mix and sub mix with the iPad. To much effort. Just picked up the maclie DL1604 this week ad GC. They had a $150 discount online. I showed them on my iPhone and they honored it. I also had to drive from NH to MA to get it as the new Portsmouth store didn't have it and they knocked off the sales tax too.

So first gig tonight and I'm quite nervous. I put the iPad on a music stand that attaches to my mike stand. Look forward to the tap function of the echo. I use a G30 for my bass and have wireless IEM. I will do sound check from the audience and dial in my bass afterwards. My singer usually does a solo on he keys during the night so can pop out with the iPad again. I think I'll pop FOH via the headphone out to my IEM so I can at lest get a balance off of it and isolate the stage mons. We will see any way set up will be a lot easier (I hope). More on Sunday and I will be my Presonus along as backup

Oh my drummer uses a wired IEM and if we like this board he will get an iPad and have total control over his mix. I won't have to do anything for him again. I think this is a great feature for those using ears but i would try it with a wedge

seamonkey · #18 12-15-2012, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanm

Another "walk out with the wireless".

Nice! How do you play and carry the iPAD? Some sort of holster?

ipad are getting very popular for modeling also. There are various guitar mounts.

Floyd Eye · #19 12-15-2012, 11:20 AM

I used to just walk out front every once in awhile and rely on a few people I trust out front to let me know. Got a sound guy now. I am a much happier bass player now.

SpecialBlender · #20 12-15-2012, 11:38 AM

We send everything to the main mix and 4 sub groups but the sub groups are not added to the main mix. This gives us 4 monitors with FOH mix in them each having their own volume control. Our BL goes out during the first tune & tweaks our levels & mix. BL will usually do another quick check at the start of each set before he comes back to the stage.

This works fine if you have disciplined players who know how to control their volume and listen to the band as a whole.